The present application claims foreign priority from Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 09-224323, filed on Aug. 6, 1997, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This invention pertains to a microscope. More particularly, the invention relates to a microscope having a visible light illumination system and an ultraviolet light illumination system.
A microscope which allows observation of an ultraviolet light image and a visible light image of a specimen is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,401, for example. That microscope has a visible light illumination system to illuminate a specimen with visible light, an ultraviolet light illumination system to illuminate the specimen with ultraviolet light, a filter block for switching between the visible light illumination system and the ultraviolet light illumination system, an observation system to observe the specimen, an electromotive turret that can retain multiple objective lenses capable of correcting aberrations of specimen image within a wavelength ranging from the visible zone to the near-ultraviolet light zone (about 330 nm) and that selectively positions the objective lenses in an optical path of the observation system, and turret drive means to drive the electromotive turret.
However, if ultraviolet light in the deep ultraviolet light ray zone (about 300 nm or less) is used as illumination light, it is difficult to have only a single objective lens that can cope with the range from visible light to deep ultraviolet light rays. Therefore, both a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens must be used.
There are two types of ultraviolet light objective lenses: {circle around (1)} An objective lens used when ultraviolet light is cast on a specimen and an image is obtained from the light (the ultraviolet light) reflected by the specimen; and {circle around (2)} an objective lens used when ultraviolet light is cast on a specimen and an image is obtained from the fluorescent light (visible light) reflected by the specimen.
In the aforementioned microscope, a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens are attached to an electromotive turret, and visible light images and ultraviolet light images can be observed. When switching from the visible light observation to the ultraviolet light observation occurs, the visible light objective lens must be switched to an ultraviolet light objective lens.
In such cases, the observer must rotate the electromotive turret without any switching errors. If a visible light objective lens is erroneously used under ultraviolet light, adhesives used for the visible light objective lens will cloud up because of ultraviolet light radiation, and the visible light objective lens will no longer be usable.
This problem likewise occurs even when visible light observation and fluorescent light observation involving ultraviolet light illumination are performed with a single microscope by using the ultraviolet light objective lens and the visible light objective lens of type {circle around (2)}.
In the present specification, an xe2x80x9cultraviolet light objective lensxe2x80x9d means an objective lens used when ultraviolet rays are used as the illumination light. Also, xe2x80x9cultraviolet lightxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cultraviolet raysxe2x80x9d mean light in the wavelength of deep ultraviolet light and near ultraviolet light.
The objects of the invention are to provide a microscope that allows selection between a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens, that prevents casting of ultraviolet light on visible light objective lenses with certainty, and that has excellent operability.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages and purpose of the invention will be realized and attained by the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To attain the advantages and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a microscope having an illumination system for illuminating a specimen with one of visible light and ultraviolet light. A switching device switches the illumination system between the visible light and the ultraviolet light. An observation system is provided for observing the specimen and the observation system has an optical path. An electromotive turret supports a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens, and selectively positions the objective lenses in the optical path. A turret driving device drives the electromotive turret. An illumination system detection device detects whether illumination is ultraviolet light. A control unit triggers the turret driving device to insert the ultraviolet light objective lens in the optical path when the illumination system detection device detects illumination of the specimen in the ultraviolet light.
In another aspect of the invention, the objects and advantages of the invention are attained by a microscope including an illumination system for illuminating a specimen with one of visible light and ultraviolet light. A switching device switches the illumination system between the visible light and the ultraviolet light. A switching drive device drives the switching device. An observation system is provided for observing the specimen and the observation system has an optical path. A turret supports a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens, and selectively positions the objective lenses in the optical path. An objective lens detection device detects the visible light objective lens in the optical path. A control unit triggers the switching drive device to switch to the visible light when the objective lens detection device detects the visible light objective lens in the optical path.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a microscope includes an illumination system for illuminating a specimen with one of visible light and ultraviolet light. A shading device prevents the ultraviolet light from being cast on the specimen. The shading device is located in the ultraviolet light illumination system. A shading drive device is provided to drive the shading device. An observation system is provided for observing the specimen, and the observation system has an optical path. An electromotive turret supports a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens, and selectively positions the objective lenses in the optical path. A turret driving device drives the electromotive turret. An instruction device instructs switching of the objective lenses. A control unit triggers the shading drive device to block the ultraviolet light and subsequently triggering the turret driving device to switch to the visible light objective lens when the instruction device instructs to switch from the ultraviolet objective lens to the visible objective lens.
In still another aspect of the invention, a microscope includes an illumination system for illuminating a specimen with one of visible light and ultraviolet light. A switching device switches between the visible light illumination system and the ultraviolet light illumination system for illuminating the specimen. A switching drive device drives the switching device. An observation system is provided for observing the specimen, and the observation system has an optical path. An electromotive turret supports a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens, and selectively positions the objective lenses in the optical path. A turret driving device drives the electromotive turret. An instruction device instructs switching of illumination system. An illumination system detection device detects which illumination system is used. A control unit triggers the turret driving device to position the ultraviolet objective lens and subsequently triggering the switching drive device to switch to the ultraviolet light illumination system when the illumination system detection device detects use of the visible light illumination system is being used and the instruction device instructs switching to the ultraviolet light objective lens.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a microscope includes an illumination device for providing a light to a specimen. A filter block has a first filter and a second filter and being connected to a filter block motor to place one of the first and second filters in the light. The first filter is configured to filter out ultraviolet light from the light and provide visible light, and the second filter is configured to provide ultraviolet light. An observation system has an optical path for observing the specimen. An electromotive turret supports a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light objective lens, and selectively positions the objective lenses in the optical path, and the electromotive turret is revolved by a turret motor. A control unit triggers the filter block motor and the turret motor to arrange the first filter and the visible light objective lens for observing the specimen, and the control unit also triggers the filter block motor and the turret motor to arrange the second filter and the ultraviolet light objective lens for observing the specimen.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a microscope includes an illumination system for illuminating a specimen with one of visible light and ultraviolet light. A switching device switches the illumination system between the visible light and the ultraviolet light. An observation system is provided for observing the specimen, and the observation system has an optical path. A turret supports a visible light objective lens and an ultraviolet light lens, and selectively positions the objective lenses in the optical path. A control unit prevents an ultraviolet light system and a visible light objective lens from being simultaneously positioned in the optical path.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.